Animal-trap.



PATENTED FEB. 19, 1907.

L.HAAS.

ANIMAL TRAP. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 9. 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

THIE RoRRls'Prrlns 5a.. WASNINGYON, n. c.

PATENTED FEB. 19, 1907 L. HAAS.

ANIMAL TRAP. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 9. 1906.

2 sums- 2231212.

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UNITED STATES PATENT @FFICE.

ANl lVl AL-TR'AP.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, LAUNVILLE HAAS, a citizen of the United States,residing at C0-- lumbia City, in the county of Whitley and State ofIndiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inAnimal-Traps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention consists of a novel form of animal-trap designedparticularly for catching rodents, though it may be utilized as a meansfor entrapping birds or the like so far as the principle of constructionand operation are concerned.

In the practical adaptation of the invention it is contemplated toprovide a trap embodying' a suitable inclosure divided into twoconipartnients, into one of which the animal to be trapped is enticed bybait or similar means, the other one being so located as to tempt theanimal to enter the same. Means are provided for killing the animal ashe attempts to enter the second compartment of the trap.

For a full understanding of the invention and the merits thereof andalso to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction of the meansfor effecting the result reference is to be had to the followingdescription and accompanying drawings, in wt. ich

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional" view of a trap embodyingthe invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section, the partitionsbeing shown broken away. Fig. 3 is a broken perspective view lookingtoward the entrance of the trap. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of thespring, and choke and trip bars actuated thereby, with adjacent parts.Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the trap looking toward the rear endthereof. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the longitudinal trip-bar andbait-lever arranged to en gage the same. Fig. 7 is a sectional view onthe line y y of Fig. 2, dotted lines showing the position of the springwhen the choke-bar has been operated.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the samereference characters.

Specifically describing the invention, the numeral 1 designates thetrap-body, which consists of a suitable inclosure or receptacle,preferably of somewhat rectangular form and provided at one end with anentrance 2,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb, 19, 1907.

Application filed August 9,1906. Serial No. 329,925.

I consisting of outwardly-projecting spaced sides 3, having inclined orsloping edges 3. The entrance 2 is adapted to be closed by a door 41,one end portion of which is hinged at 5 to the adjacent end portion ofthe trap 1. The other free end portion of the door 4 is adapted to beengaged by catches 5 at the lower portion of the entrance 2 when saiddoor is in closed position. Of course when the door 4 is closed it restsupon the sloping" edge portions of the sides 2 and is sup-poi ted bysaid sides. Normally, however, when the trap 1 is open. and readyforus'e the door a sliding trip-rod 6, one end of which is adapted tomove into a loop 7 on the outer side of the door 4, and the opposite endof which is movable through an opening in a vertical extension 8 of apivoted bait-ieverQ. The bait-lever 9 may be pivoted to a suitablecross-rod in the trap 1 and is provided with a bait-holder 10 at oneend, the other end being formed with the extension 8 above mentioned.Intermediate of the ends of the trip-rod 6 is located a projection 11,engaged by a spring 12, which normally tends to force the rod 6longitudinally toward the end of the trap opposite that at which theentrance 2 is located.

The trap 1 is separated into two compart ments, as before premised, bymeans of a vertical partition 13, the compartments: being indicated 14and 15 and being described hereinafter as the first compartment 14 andthe second compartment 15, respectively. The partition 13 is: of anysubstantial nature and embodies, preferably, spaced portions in whichoperates a vertically-movable chokebar 16. Both the part 16 and avertical trip-bar 1 7 are secured at the upper extremities thereof to aspring 18, applied to the top of the trap and secured thereto at oneend, the free end of the spring being attached tothe parts 16 and 17,before mentioned. The normal tendency of the spring 18 is to pullupwardly upon the choke-bar 16 and the tripbar 17. The choke-bar 16consists, preferably, of a simple bar having the lower end thereofcurved upwardly, while the trip-bar 17 also consists of a simpleflexible bar the lower end portionv of which is adapted to beengaged andheld down by a small catch 19*, said bar 17 being slidable on a side ofpartition 13. The curved lower end portion of 4 is held in a horizontalposition by means of above described, the animal or rodent will Thismovement of the rod 6 will the choke-bar 16 is adapted to operate across1 an opening 20, which is formed in the lower portion of the partition13.

The above briefly describes the construction of the parts comprising theinvention.

In operation when the trap is set, as shown in Fig. 2, the door 4 is ina horizontal position, being held up by engagement of the adjacent endof the trip-rod 6 with the loop 7. The opposite end of the trip-rod 6,however, is engaged with the upper end portion of the extension 8 of thebait-lever 9, and this extension prevents longitudinal movement of thetrip-rod. Meanwhile the spring 18 is held down near the top of the trapby engagement of the trip-bar 17 with the catch 19, and of course thelower curved end portion of the choke-bar 16 is similarly held down,being located at the base of the opening 20 in the partition 13. Theparts being arranged as enter the first compartment 14 through theentrance 2, and, tampering with the baitholder 10, the adjacent end ofthe lever 9 will be pressed downwardly, raising the extension 8 untilthe end of the rod 6 is in line with the opening in said extension,whereupon the rod will be forced longitudinally through this openingunder the action of the spring 12, though operating with the projection11. disengage the same from the loop 7 on the door 4, and said door willfall or drop and will be locked closed by engagement therewith of thecatches 5. The animal is thus entrapped in the first compartment 14,with the only means of egress therefrom as the opening 20. The endportion of the trap remote from the en trance 2 is made of foraminousmaterial, such as screen-wire or the like, as shown at 21, and light ofcourse penetrates to the comp artment 15. Thus an animal entrapped inthe-compartment 14 will attempt to pass into the compartment 15 throughthe opening 20, as said compartment appears to be a means of egress fromthe trap. As soon, however, as the animal puts his head into the opening20 it strikes the trip-bar 17, disengages said tripbar from the catch19, and this releases the spring 18, which latter immediately boundsupwardly, carrying the trip-bar 17 and the choke-bar 16 up. The lowercurved end of the choke-bar 16 will engage with the animal and choke itto death. The operation of the trap is simple and can be relied upon toentice animals thereto and to efiectively destroy the life of the animalafter the same is entrapped.

It is to be understood that under certain conditions earth may bedisposed on the bottom of the trap, so as to more readily entice animalsto enter the same." Furthermore,

the trip-bar 7 is made of material adapted to flex somewhat in order todisengage the same from the catch cooperating therewith. A door will belocated on top of the trap to afford access to the compartment 15, whilea similar door will be located at one side of the trap to afford accessto the compartment 14, which is located nearer the entrance of thedev1ce.

Having thus described is claimed as new is 1. An animal-trap having asuitable entrance-opening, a door closing said entrance, alongitudinally-movable trip-rod engageably cooperating with the door tohold the same in open position, a spring applied to the body of the trapand cooperating with the trip-rod to normally throw the same out ofcooperation with the door, and a bait-lever the invention, what arrangedto engage the trip-rod to hold the same in cooperation with the door,and movable to permit of release of the door from the trip-rod.

2. An animal-trap provided with a suitable entrance, a door for saidentrance, a loop projecting from the door, a longitudinal triprodengaging with the loop aforesaid .to hold the door in open position, aprojection extending from said trip-rod between itsends, a springsecured to the body of the trap, and engaging the projection ofthetrip-rod and normally tending to disengage the latter from the loop, anda bait-lever pivoted to the trap and provided with an extension havingan aperture through which the triprod is slidable, said lever beingarranged to engage the trip-rod and hold the same in engagement with theloop, as specified.

3. An animal-trap comprising a trap-body or inclosure, a partitionseparating the same into first and second compartments, an entranceleading to the first compartment, a door for closing said entrance, atrip-rod con nected with said door, a bait-lever connected with saidtrip-rod, the partition aforesaid being provided with an egress-openingleading rom the first compartment to the second compartment, a choke-barmounted on the partition aforesaid and adapted to operate across theegress-opening above mentioned, a trip-bar for holding the choke-bar ina predetermined position, a spring connected with the choke and tripbars aforesaid, and a catch adapted to engage the trip-bar, saidtrip-bar extending so as to project across the egressopening in thepartition.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

:LAUNVILLE HAAS. Witnesses:

WILLIAM H. CONTEE, JEssE MILLER.

